2. Introduction and Purpose
Schools
Provide safe and healthy learning environments
Keep children and youths safe from threats and hazards
In collaboration with their local government
and community partners, schools can
Plan for these potential emergencies, and
Create school emergency operations plans (EOPs).
3. PPD 8 & Five Preparedness Missions
Prevention
Mitigation
Protection
Response
Recovery
Before During After
an incident or emergency
4. Reflections on Professional Practice
Planning Principles
Supported by
Leadership
Uses
Assessments
to Customize
Takes an All-
Hazards
Approach
Provides for
Whole School
Community
Considers All
Settings and
All Times
Collaborative
Process
5. The Planning Process
Is flexible and can be adapted to accommodate a
district’s and a school’s unique characteristics and
situation.
During the planning process it is critical that schools
work with their district staff and community
partners—local emergency management staff, first
responders, and public and mental health officials-
during the planning process.
7. Step 1
Form a Common
Framework
Define and Assign Roles
and Responsibilities
Determine a Regular
Schedule of Meetings
8. Step 2
Identify Threats and Hazards:
The planning team first needs to understand the threats and hazards
faced by the school and the surrounding community.
Assess the Risk Posed by the Identified Threats and Hazards:
Once an initial set of threats and hazards have been identified, the
planning team should evaluate and prioritize the vulnerability and risk
posed by the identified threats and hazards.
Assessments will be used not only to develop the initial plan but
also to inform updates and revisions to the plan on an ongoing
basis.
9. Step 2: Understand the Situation
(1 of 7)
SITE ASSESSMENT
Description:
Examines the safety, accessibility, and emergency preparedness of
the school’s buildings and grounds.
Purpose:
To provide an increased understanding of potential impact of threats and
hazards on the school buildings and grounds.
To identify risks and vulnerabilities of the school buildings and grounds.
To identify which facilities are physically accessible to individuals with
disabilities and others with functional and access needs, including language,
transportation, and medical needs, and can be used in compliance with the law.
10. Step 2: Understand the Situation
(2 of 7)
CULTURE & CLIMATE ASSESSMENT
Description:
Evaluates students and staff connectedness to the school and
problem behaviors.
Purpose:
To provide knowledge of students’ and staff’s perceptions of their
safety.
To provide knowledge of problem behaviors that need to be
addressed to improve school climate.
11. Step 2: Understand the Situation
(3 of 7)
BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENT
Description:
Analyzes communication and behaviors to determine whether
or not a student, staff, or other person may pose a threat.
Purpose:
To assure students, staff, or other persons who may pose a threat are
identified and referred for services (if appropriate) before a threat
develops into an incident.
12. Step 2: Understand the Situation
(4 of 7)
Behavioral Threat Assessment (Cont.)
Key Findings from the SSI
Rarely sudden, impulsive acts
Others knew in advance
Many attackers felt bullied
Most had access to weapons
Prior behavior caused concern
Difficulty coping with loss or failures
Other students involved
Most stopped by someone other than law enforcement
13. Step 2: Understand the Situation
(5 of 7)
CAPACITY ASSESSMENT
Description:
Examines the capabilities of students and staff, as well as the
services and material resources of community partners.
Purpose:
To provide an increased understanding of the resources available.
To provide information about staff capabilities to help planners assign
roles and responsibilities in the plan.
14. Step 2: Understand the Situation
(6 of 7)
One effective method for organizing information is to create a table
with a range of information about each possible threat and hazard,
including any new threats or hazards identified through the
assessment process.
The table should include:
• Probability or frequency of occurrence;
• Magnitude;
• Time available to warn staff, students, and visitors;
• Duration; and
• Follow-on and cascading effects of threat or hazard.
Prioritize Threats and Hazards
Next, the planning team should use the information it has organized
to compare and prioritize risks posed by threats and hazards.
15. Step 2: Understand the Situation
(7 of 7)
Hazard Probability Magnitude Warning Duration Risk Priority
Fire 4. Highly likely
3. Likely
2. Possible
1. Unlikely
4. Catastrophic
3. Critical
2. Limited
1. Negligible
4. Minimal
3. 6–12 hrs.
2. 12–24 hrs.
1. 24+ hrs.
4. 12+ hrs.
3. 6–12 hrs.
2. 2–6 hrs.
1. < 3 hrs.
High
Medium
Low
Hazmat
spill
outside
the school
4. Highly likely
3. Likely
2. Possible
1. Unlikely
4. Catastrophic
3. Critical
2. Limited
1. Negligible
4. Minimal
3. 6–12 hrs.
2. 12–24 hrs.
1. 24+ hrs.
4. 12+ hrs.
3. 6–12 hrs.
2. 2–6 hrs.
1. < 3 hrs.
High
Medium
Low
After completing Step 2, the planning team has a prioritized (high, medium, or
low risk) list of threats and hazards based on the results of the risk assessment.
16. Step 3
The planning team
Decides which of the threats and hazards identified in Step
2 will be addressed in the school EOP
Develops goals and objectives for each threat and hazard
Using the approach
1. Before 2. During 3. After
18. Step 3: Determine Goals and Objectives
(2 of 2)
Often, planners will need to identify multiple
objectives in support of a single goal.
After the team has finished compiling the objectives
for the prioritized threats and hazards, it will find that
certain critical “functions” or activities apply to more
than one threat or hazard.
After identifying these functions, the planning team
should develop three goals for each function. These
commonly occurring functions will be contained in a
“Functional Annex” within the school EOP.
19. Step 4
Identify Courses of Action
Courses of action include criteria for determining how and when
each response will be implemented under a variety of
circumstances.
Subsequently, the planning team develops response protocols and
procedures to support these efforts.
Possible courses of action are typically developed using the
following steps:
1. Depict the scenario.
2. Determine the amount of time available to respond.
3. Identify decision points.
4. Develop courses of action.
20. Step 4: Plan Development
(Identifying Courses of Action)
Select Courses of Action
After developing courses of action, planners compare the costs and
benefits of each proposed course of action against the goals and
objectives.
Based on this comparison, planners select the preferred course or
courses of action to move forward in the planning process.
After selecting courses of action
The planning team identifies resources necessary to accomplish each
course of action without regard to resource availability.
Once the planning team identifies all of the requirements, it begins
matching available resources to requirements.
21. Step 5
Format the Plan
An effective school EOP is presented in a way that makes it easy for users to find the
information they need and that is compatible with local and state plans.
Write the Plan
As the planning team works through the draft, the members add necessary tables,
charts, and other supporting graphics.
Review the Plan
Planners should check the written plan for compliance with applicable laws and for
its usefulness in practice.
Approve and Share the Plan
After finalizing the plan, the planning team should present it to the appropriate
leadership and obtain official approval of the plan.
The team should then share the plan with its community partners who have a
responsibility in the plan.
22. Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and
Approval (1 of 4)
SCHOOL
EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS
PLAN
BASIC PLAN
FUNCTIONAL
ANNEXES
THREAT- AND
HAZARD-
SPECIFIC
ANNEXES
23. Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and
Approval (2 of 4)
Basic
Plan
Introductory Material
Purpose and Situation Overview
Concept of Operations
Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities
Direction, Control, and Coordination
Information Collection, Analysis, and Dissemination
Training and Exercises
Administration, Finance, and Logistics
Plan Development and Maintenance
Authorities and References
24. Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and
Approval (3 of 4)
Functional
Annexes
Communications and Warning
Evacuation
Lockdown
Shelter-in-Place
Accounting for All Persons
Family Reunification
Security
Continuity of Operations
Recovery
Health: Public, Medical, and Mental
26. Threat- and
Hazard-
Specific
Annexes
Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and
Approval (4 of 4)
Natural Hazards
Technological Hazards
Biological Hazards
Adversarial, Incidental, and
Human-Caused Threats
27. Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes
Natural Hazards Technological Hazards Biological Hazards
Adversarial, Incidental,
and Human-caused
Threats
Earthquakes
Tornadoes
Lightning
Severe wind
Hurricanes
Floods
Wildfires
Extreme
temperatures
Landslides or
mudslides
Tsunamis
Volcanic eruptions
Winter precipitation
Explosions or accidental
release of toxins from
industrial plans
Accidental release of
hazardous materials from
within the school, such as
gas leaks or laboratory spills
Hazardous materials releases
from major highways or
railroads
Radiological releases from
nuclear power stations
Dam failure
Power failure
Water failure
Infectious diseases,
such as pandemic
influenza, extensively
drug-resistant
tuberculosis,
Staphylococcus
aureus, and meningitis
Contaminated food
outbreaks, including
Salmonella, botulism,
and E. coli
Toxic materials
present in school
laboratories
Fire
Active shooters
Criminal threats or
actions
Gang violence
Bomb threats
Domestic violence and
abuse
Cyber attacks
Suicide
28. Step 6
Train
Stakeholders
on Plan and
Roles
Hold a Meeting
Distribute
Materials
Visit Key
Locations
Teach Roles and
Responsibilities
Include
Community
Partners
29. Step 6: Plan Implementation and
Maintenance (1 of 2)
Exercise the Plan
The more a plan is practiced and
stakeholders are trained on the plan,
the more effectively they will be able
to act before, during, and after an
emergency to lessen the impact on life
and property.
• Tabletop Exercises
• Drills
• Functional Exercises
• Full-Scale Exercises
30. Step 6: Plan Implementation and
Maintenance (2 of 2)
Review
Revise
Maintain
Sub-bullet 2:
Threats such as human-caused emergencies such as crime and violence;
Hazards such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and accidents.
Bullet 3:
It is recommended that districts and individual schools compare existing plans and processes against the content and processes outlined in this guide.
PPD-8 (the Presidential Policy Directive 8, National Preparedness) describes the nation’s approach to Preparedness and defines Preparedness around five mission areas:
Prevention, Mitigation, Protection, Response, and Recovery.
It represents an evolution in our collective understanding of national preparedness and is based on the lessons learned from terrorist attacks, hurricanes, school incidents, and other experiences.
Prevention means the capabilities necessary to avoid, deter, or stop an imminent crime or threatened or actual mass casualty incident.
Mitigation means the capabilities necessary to eliminate or reduce the loss of life and property damage by lessening the impact of an event or emergency.
Protection means the capabilities to secure schools against acts of violence and manmade or natural disasters.
Response means the capabilities necessary to stabilize an emergency once it has already happened or is certain to happen in an unpreventable way.
Recovery means the capabilities necessary to assist schools affected by an event or emergency in restoring the learning environment.
These mission areas generally align with the three timeframes associated with an incident: before, during, and after.
Before: The majority of Prevention, Mitigation, and Protection activities generally occur before an incident, although these three mission areas do have ongoing activities that can occur throughout an incident.
During: Response activities occur during an incident.
After: Recovery activities can begin during an incident and occur after an incident.
To help avoid confusion over terms and allow for ease of reference, we will generally use the terms: “before,” “during,” and “after.”
The following principles are key to developing a comprehensive school EOP that addresses a range of threats and hazards. Let’s consider these in detail and identify some examples in our own schools.
Planning
Must be supported by leadership: At the district and school levels, senior-level officials can help the planning process by demonstrating strong support for the planning team. Emphasize importance of getting buy-in from leadership throughout the process, as well as at the end (leadership needs to sign-off on it).
Uses assessments to customize plans to the building level: Effective planning is built around comprehensive, ongoing assessment of the school community. Information gathered through assessment is used to customize plans to the building level, taking into consideration the school’s unique circumstances and resources.
Considers all threats and hazards: A comprehensive school emergency planning process must take into account a wide range of possible threats and hazards that may impact the school, addressing safety needs before, during, and after an incident.
Provides for the access and functional needs of the whole school community: Planning provides for the access and functional needs of the whole school community, which includes:
Students, staff, and visitors
Children, adults, and elderly (Grandparents Day)
Individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs including language, transportation, and medical needs
Those from religiously, racially, and ethnically diverse backgrounds
People with limited English proficiency
Considers all settings and all times: School EOPs must account for incidents that may occur during and outside the school day as well as on and off campus (e.g., school bus, sporting events, field trips). Examples include:
Outside activities (e.g., recess, physical education)
Before and after school (e.g., the school bus, gathering times and places immediately before and after school)
Outside of the school day (e.g., after school athletic programs, cubs, school dances, weekend sporting events)
Field trips during the school day and extended trips
Follows a collaborative process: Creating and revising a model school emergency operations plans is done by following a collaborative process. This guide provides a process, plan format, and content guidance that are flexible enough for use by all school emergency planning teams. If a planning team also uses templates, it must first evaluate their usefulness to ensure the tools do not undermine the collaborative initiative and collectively shared plan.
The process must take into account a wide range of possible threats and hazards that may impact the school, addressing safety needs before, during, and after an incident.
Bullet number 2: Effective school emergency management planning and development of a school EOP are not done in isolation.
This collaboration makes more resources available and helps to ensure the seamless integration of all responders.
The collaborative TEAM should work through these six steps to create and implement their school’s EOP.
Schools and school districts can use this process to:
Develop a plan.
Do a comprehensive review of their existing plan.
Conduct reviews of their plan’s component parts.
Each step will improve the school’s response to ongoing school and emergency activities, as well as the training, drills, equipment, and resources that are currently in use.
These steps are sequenced to support a collaborative process, which invites multiple perspectives for information gathering, prioritizing, goal-setting, execution of specific activities, and evaluation. The process is intended to be cyclical and ongoing.
Although there are three timeframes, they are generally interconnected and schools can take steps to build capacity for Response and Recovery before an incident occurs.
These steps are supported by applying the planning principles.
NOTE TO TRAINER: As applicable, accentuate a planning principle throughout the steps.
At each step, schools should consider the impact of their decisions on ongoing activities such as training and exercises as well as on equipment and resources.
Identify Core Planning Team: The planning team should be small enough to permit close collaboration with first responders and other community partners, yet large enough to be representative of the school, its families, and its community.
Form a Common Framework: A shared approach facilitates mutual understanding, coordination, and execution of the emergency management strategies as well as works from a common command structure.
Define and Assign Roles and Responsibilities: Each person involved in the development and refinement of the plan should know her or his roles and responsibilities in the planning process.
Determine a Regular Schedule of Meetings: School emergency management planning is an ongoing effort that is reinforced through regularly scheduled planning meetings.
The following slides provide more information about some of the most essential assessments the planning team should undertake.
Description: This assessment includes, but is not limited to, a review of building access and egress control measures, visibility around the exterior of the building, structural integrity of the building, compliance with applicable architectural standards for individuals with disabilities and others with functional and access needs, and emergency vehicle access. This assessment also can include the testing of equipment, such as the interoperability of communications equipment.
Description: In schools with positive climates, students are more likely to feel connected to adults and their peers. This fosters a nurturing environment where students are more likely to succeed, feel safe, and report threats. For example, this assessment may reveal a high number of bullying incidents, indicating a need to implement an anti-bullying program. If a student survey is used to assess culture and climate, student privacy must be protected. A range of school personnel can assist in the assessment of culture and school climate, including school counselors and mental health staff.
Assessments can provide schools with the data support needed to:
Help schools identify key issues in need of attention.
Assist schools in identifying threats to school safety.
Pursue comprehensive approaches to improving school climate.
Threats: How to respond to threats identified by the behavioral threat assessment team (TAT). What happens if the TAT identifies a student, through their comprehensive assessment approach, that might be a threat to the school? Who is notified? What actions are taken? How is this communicated to the school community to quell potential rumors or fears?
Description: These assessments must be based on fact; must comply with applicable privacy, civil rights, and other applicable laws; and are often conducted by multidisciplinary threat assessment teams. While a planning team may include the creation of a TAT in its plan, the assessment team is a separate entity from the planning team and meets on its own regular schedule.
Again, emphasize that while those working on EOP and TAT need to be connected, information (at least much of it) can not be shared with the EOP team; some of it for legal reasons and some for practical reasons.
One of the most useful tools a school can develop to identify, evaluate, and address these troubling signs is a multidisciplinary school Threat Assessment Team (TAT).
In 2002, the Safe School Initiative (SSI) was completed by ED and the U.S. Secret Service, examining 41 K-12 student attackers involving 37 incidents in the United States from 1973 through May 2000. These research results, though focused on targeted school violence and not on active shooter situations, remain highly useful as a guide for law enforcement officials, educators, and mental health practitioners.
Warning Signs: No profile exists for an active shooter; however, research indicates there may be signs or indicators. Schools should learn the signs of a potentially volatile situation that may develop into an active shooter situation and proactively seek ways to prevent an incident with internal resources or additional external assistance.
Research shows that perpetrators of targeted acts of violence engage in both covert and overt behaviors preceding their attacks. They consider, plan, prepare, share, and, in some cases, move on to action.
Description: The planning team needs to know what resources will be at their disposal. This assessment is used to identify people in the building with applicable skills (e.g., first aid certification, search and rescue training, counseling and mental health expertise, ability to assist individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs). Equipment and supplies should also be inventoried. The inventory should include an evaluation of equipment and supplies uniquely for individuals with disabilities, such as evacuation chairs, the availability of sign language interpreters and technology used for effective communication, accessible transportation, and consumable medical supplies and durable medical equipment that may be necessary during a shelter-in-place or evacuation.
Bullet 1: After conducting these assessments, the planning team should consolidate all of the information it has obtained into a format that is usable for comparing the risks posed by the identified threats and hazards.
Probability or frequency of occurrence: (i.e., how often a threat or hazard may occur)
Magnitude: (i.e., the extent of expected damage)
Duration: (i.e., for how long the hazard or threat will be occurring)
Prioritize Threats and Hazards: This will allow the team to decide which threats or hazards it will directly address in the plan.
Goals are broad, general statements that indicate the desired outcome in response to a threat or hazard.
Objectives are specific, measurable actions to achieve the goals.
This slide shows examples of goals and objectives developed to address the threat or hazard of fire.
In Step 4, the planning team develops courses of action for accomplishing each of the objectives identified in Step 3. Courses of action address the what, who, when, where, why, and how for each threat, hazard, and function. The planning team should examine each course of action to determine whether it is feasible and whether the stakeholders necessary to implement it find it acceptable.
Select Courses of Action: Plans often include multiple courses of action for a given scenario to reflect the different ways it could unfold.
After completing Step 4, the planning team will have identified goals, objectives, and courses of action for before, during, and after threats and hazards, as well as functions.
In Step 5, the planning team develops a draft of the school EOP using the courses of action developed in Step 4. In addition, the team reviews the plan, obtains official approval, and shares the plan with community partners such as first responders, local emergency management officials, staff, and stakeholders.
Format the Plan: This may include using plain language and providing pictures and/or visual cues for key action steps.
This guide presents a traditional format that can be tailored to meet individual school needs. This format has three major sections: the Basic Plan, Functional Annexes, and Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes.
Write the Plan: The planning team circulates a draft to obtain the comments of stakeholders that have responsibilities for implementing the plan.
Review the Plan: Commonly used criteria can help determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the plan.
Approve and Share the Plan: Schools should be careful to protect the plan from those who are not authorized to have it and should consider how they will secure documents shared electronically.
After completing Step 5, the planning team will have a final school EOP.
At the beginning of the presentation, we introduced the traditional format of an emergency operations plan that can be tailored to meet individual school needs. Let’s once again consider the format:
The Basic Plan section of the school EOP provides an overview of the school’s approach to emergency operations.
The Functional Annexes section details the goals, objectives, and courses of action of essential functions (e.g., evacuation, lockdown, communications, accounting for students) that apply across multiple threats or hazards. Functional annexes set forth how the school manages COMMON function before, during, and after an emergency. Functional annexes address common functions such as communication, which will take place in connection with any emergency.
The Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes section specifies the goals, objectives, and courses of action that a school will follow before, during, and after a particular type of threat or hazard (e.g., hurricane, active shooter, fire).
Reinforce the differences between Functional Annexes and Threat and Hazard-Specific Annexes.
REFER to SCHOOL EOP FORMAT from page 18 of the K-12 Guide—This will be an appendix in the participant handbook.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember that planners have to be careful not to share every part of the plan. The planning team needs to determine what should and should not be shared and with whom it could/could not be shared.
Introductory material
can enhance accountability with community partners, including first responders, local emergency managers, and public and mental health officials, and make a school EOP easier to use.
The Basic Plan section of the school EOP provides an overview of the school’s approach to operations before, during, and after an emergency.
The Basic Plan section includes:
Introductory Material: can enhance accountability with community partners, including first responders, local emergency managers, and public and mental health officials, and make a school EOP easier to use.
Purpose and Situation Overview: sets the foundation for the rest of the school EOP. The basic plan’s purpose is a general statement of what the school EOP is meant to do. And, the situational overview explains why a school EOP is necessary.
Concept of Operations: Explains in broad terms the school administrator’s intent with regard to an operation.
Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities: Provides an overview of the broad roles and responsibilities of school staff, families, guardians, and community partners, and of organizational functions during all emergencies.
Direction, Control, and Coordination: Describes the framework for all direction, control, and coordination activities.
Information Collection, Analysis, and Dissemination: Addresses the role of information in the successful implementation of the activities that occur before, during, and after an emergency.
Training and Exercises: Describes the critical training and exercise activities the school will use in support of the plan.
Administration, Finance, and Logistics: Covers general support requirements and the availability of services and support for all types of emergencies, as well as general policies for managing resources.
Plan Development and Maintenance: Discusses the overall approach to planning and the assignment of plan development and maintenance responsibilities.
Authorities and References: Provides the legal basis for emergency operations and activities.
Functional annexes focus on critical operational functions and the courses of action developed to carry them out.
This section of the guide describes functional annexes that schools should address in developing a comprehensive, high-quality school EOP.
Also included in this section are issues the planning team should consider as it develops goals, objectives, and courses of action for these functions.
Some important Functional Annexes may include:
Communications and Warning
General Responses, such as Evacuation, Lockdown, and Shelter-in-Place
Accounting for All Persons
Family Reunification
Security
Continuity of Operations
Recovery
Public, Medical, and Mental Health
These are some of the most important functions and are not meant to constitute an exhaustive list. As the annexes are formed, there are critical considerations. These should influence the development of goals, objectives, and courses of action.
While these functions should be described separately, it is important to remember that many functions will occur consecutively. For example, a shelter-in-place during an emergency may be implemented, but if a building is damaged, the school may then initiate an evacuation of that building.
Often, multiple functions will also be performed concurrently. For example, during an evacuation, once all individuals are safely out of the building, the accounting for students, staff, and visitors function will begin. The evacuation function, however, will still be in effect as school personnel or first responders work to locate and evacuate any persons that are not accounted.
While functions build upon one another and overlap, it is not necessary to repeat a course of action in one functional annex if it appears in a second Functional Annex. For example, though an evacuation may lead to reunification, it is not necessary to list a course of action for reunification within the Evacuation Annex.
The Threat- and Hazard-specific annexes describe the courses of action unique to particular threats and hazards.
Courses of action already outlined in a Functional annex need not be repeated in a Hazard-Specific annex.
Schools will develop these based on the prioritized list of hazards determined in the assessment process.
As planning teams develop courses of action for threats and hazards, they should consider the federal, state, and local regulations or mandates that often apply to specific hazards.
Threats and hazards are referenced into four different categories:
Natural Hazards
Technological Hazards
Biological Hazards
Adversarial, Incidental, and Human-caused Threats
As planning teams develop courses of action for threats and hazards, they should consider the federal, state, and local regulations or mandates that often apply to specific hazards.
The Basic Plan, Functional Annexes, and Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes will be discussed in greater detail in the next section of the presentation.
This chart includes examples of different types of threats and hazards which may require Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes.
Everyone involved in the plan needs to know their roles and responsibilities before, during, and after an emergency. Key training components include the following:
Hold a Meeting: At least annually, hold a meeting to educate all parties on the plan. These meetings should include:
School Leadership (important for obtaining buy-in on the plan)
Community Partners (e.g., first responders, emergency managers, and public and mental health officials)
Additional Stakeholders (e.g., relevant district, local, regional, and/or state agencies)
Other organizations who may use the school building(s)
Distribute Materials: Give appropriate and relevant literature on the plan, policies, and procedures. It may also be helpful to provide all parties with quick reference guides that remind them of key courses of action. Post key information, such as evacuation routes, throughout the building for easy access.
Visit Key Locations: Show appropriate stakeholders the location of evacuation routes and sites, reunification areas, media areas, triage areas, shelter-in-place areas, and the location emergency supplies. Check to affirm that access permissions, contacts, and keys have not changed.
Teach Roles and Responsibilities: Staff will be assigned specific roles in the plan and positions supporting the ICS that will require special skills, such as first aid; threat assessment; and provision of personal assistance services for English language learners, students with disabilities, and others with access and functional needs. Also, substitute teachers must be trained on the plan and their roles in the plan.
Bringing community partners (e.g., law enforcement officers, fire officials, EMS personnel, emergency managers, public and mental health officials) into the school to talk about the plan will make students and staff feel more comfortable working with these partners.
Train Stakeholders on the Plan and Their Roles
Everyone involved in the plan needs to know her or his roles and responsibilities before, during, and after an emergency.
Key training components include:
Hold a meeting,
Visit evacuation sites,
Give involved parties appropriate and relevant literature on the plan, policies, and procedures,
Post key information throughout the building,
Familiarize students and staff with the plan and community partners,
Train staff on the skills necessary to fulfill their roles.
Exercise the Plan: Exercises provide opportunities to practice with community as well as to identify gaps and weaknesses in the plan. They require increasing amounts of planning, time, and resources. Ideally, schools will create an exercise program, building from a tabletop exercise up to a more advanced exercise, like a functional exercise.
Review, Revise, and Maintain the EOP—This step closes the loop in the planning process.
Lessons Learned: It focuses on adding the information gained from exercising the plan to the research collected in Step 2, starting the planning cycle over again. Remember, planning is a continuous process even after the plan is published. Plans should evolve as the school and planning team learn lessons, obtain new information and insights, and update priorities.
Regular Reviews: Reviews should be a recurring activity. Planning teams should establish a process for reviewing and revising the plan. Many schools review their plans on an annual basis. In no case should any part of a plan go for more than 2 years without being reviewed and revised.
Some schools have found it useful to review and revise portions instead of reviewing the entire plan at once. Schools may consider reviewing a portion each month or at natural breaks in the academic calendar. Certain events will also provide new information that will be used to inform the plan. Schools should consider reviewing and updating their plans or sections of their plans after:
Actual emergencies
Changes have been made in policy, personnel, organizational structures, processes, facilities, or equipment
Formal updates of planning guidance or standards have been finalized
Formal exercises have taken place
Changes in the school and surrounding community have occurred
Threats or hazards change or new ones emerge
Ongoing assessments generate new information
Distribute Current Plan: The planning team should ensure that all community partners (e.g., first responders, local emergency management staff) have the most current version of the school EOP.
Schools should make the plan available to additional stakeholders as well. Share appropriate portions of the school EOP and use multiple vehicles including mail, media partners, and their website. In addition, ensure that persons with limited English proficiency and other functional and access needs have access to the EOP.
